Guest Blogger - Shop Addict

From time to time I am hoping to have some guest bloggers come onto my site and share some of their favourite tips!  

Today, we have a friend of mine that was not only born to shop but has made a career from it!  She always gives me great advice when it comes to home accessorizing, finding a good sale and the importance of an "emergency shoe fund".

Mark McLean at the Gladstone

Last night we had the pleasure of seeing our friend Mark McLean's art Exhibit at this year's Come Up To My Room Alternative Design Event at the Gladstone Hotel.  This cool art event hosts various alternative artists over two levels of the hotel.

After being offered a "free hug" on arrival and pushing through the Queen West art crowd, we found ourselves in front of Mark's exhibit.

My favourite piece of Mark's had to be his impressive 5ft x 3ft (approx.) representation of the peace sign.  From a few feet back this blue and white masterpiece looks like a very textured painting of a hand giving a peace sign.  However, when you get close you realize it is created by thousands of little toy soldier figurines!   

Very cool.

Fabric!

I love finding new and fun fabric!  Check out this print I found in a bargain bin - super cute!

It's an Alexander Henry fabric called "Beach Boys", naturally.

I couldn't resist giving this adorable vintage looking fabric a pattern it deserved.

My new apron (oops, need to cut the thread at the bottom)

Easy Fix

Winter is upon us and it's pretty easy for our front halls to start looking like an unorganized mess!
One of my biggest pet peeves is when a boot falls over creating a domino effect.  Soon enough not one boot is left standing and my foyer looks like a disaster.

Here's a cheap fix I came up with last year to keep my boots looking more orderly and neat.

You will need:

-unbroken (still intact) chopsticks 

-some paint (I use acrylic)

Everything Is Better With Nutella

Being the product of a mother that has a great affection for chocolate and a father that loves hazelnuts, it's probably no surprise I inherited the "Nutella" gene.

FACT:   The amount of Nutella jars sold annually if lined up, would wrap around the moon four times!  Obviously, I'm not alone....

Here's a tasty recipe for all you Nutella Freaks out there.  

I discovered this recipe from another blog and had to make it!    

A combination of  Nutella and bananas = the perfect marriage.

Neat As A Button

Look how cute these little guys are!  My fridge is covered with these buttons and I have to say that they are a great addition!   Not only are they small and cute, they can be quite strong depending on the magnets you use.   This is a very easy project so let's get started!